Yotam Ottolenghi Celebrates Spring With Asparagus

There’s something about asparagus that makes it a bit intimidating. There’s an aura to it, a mystique, a set of rituals related to its seasonality and how fresh it ought to be, rules on how it should be cooked (steamed in an asparagus pot, if you can) and eaten, without overwhelming it (with just some melted butter, vinaigrette or hollandaise, if you must).

A colleague of mine, a seasoned British food writer, once confessed to feeling anxious as asparagus season approaches — not because he doesn’t like asparagus (who doesn’t?) but because of its status as a British national treasure, like Dame Judi Dench, say, an object of adoration people wouldn’t want you to mess with. “I really have to get it right,” he said to me.

Recipe: Crispy Coconut, Asparagus and Green Bean Salad

I can sympathize. There aren’t many other seasonal ingredients that stir an atypical overt excitement in the Brits. This is understandable. In the absence of the superstars of the European South (artichokes, tomatoes, zucchinis, figs, apricots), asparagus, which thrives in the cooler British air, is a very good veg to rally behind.

Because asparagus is revered, it is tempting not to do too much with it and just cook it in one of a few simple, familiar ways. Fresh, in-season asparagus is definitely up there, alongside any top Italian tomato, as a delicious experience in its own right, no bells and no whistles.